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The Blockchain Killing

A Technothriller

Death of a Golden State book cover

In a world where blockchain governs power, one betrayal could collapse nations—or redeem a shattered heart.

Alec Chenais, a super-coder turned NSA contractor, believes his blockchain security software will safeguard democracy. But when Aamna “AJ” Jaffrey—his brilliant lover and coding partner—turns up dead after a mysterious deal with libertarian billionaire Elliot Perry, Alec’s ideals crumble. Drawn into a labyrinth of corporate espionage, AJ’s code becomes the key to a global power grab. As Perry’s shadowy network hijacks elections and destabilizes currencies, Alec races to expose the truth, only to discover AJ’s death hinges on a deadly family secret in Pakistan.

Haunted by grief and pursued by assassins, Alec allies with enigmatic French hacker Ludivine Moureaux, whose razor-sharp instincts hide her own agenda. From San Francisco to Paris, they infiltrate a digital war where code is the only loyalty and trust is the ultimate vulnerability. But when Alec uncovers AJ’s hidden kill switch in the software, he faces an unthinkable choice: burn the system to ashes—or weaponize it for justice.

As cyberattacks trigger real-world chaos, Alec and Ludivine confront a moral abyss: exploit the code to crash Perry’s system—or become the very monsters they hunt.

Pulse-pounding and prescient, this technothriller mirrors today’s AI ethics debates and crypto wars. If Cryptonomicon and Mr. Robot had a conspiracy-fueled heir, this would be it.

Author Robert J. Muller

Robert J. Muller, a California native, earned a PhD in Political Science from MIT before transitioning from a successful software executive career to writing. His works include the historical mystery Murder at Mount Vernon, the alternate history Menmenet trilogy, the space opera Hyperkill, and the military thriller Death of a Golden State, all reflecting his talent for merging historical depth with speculative themes. He currently resides in San Francisco.